{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T14:40:48Z","timestamp":1773931248548,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,30]],"date-time":"2024-05-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1717027200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Science and Technology Council (NSTC; previous named Ministry of Science and Technology [MOST]) in Taiwan","award":["113-2425-H-007-003"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["113-2425-H-007-003"]}]},{"name":"National Science and Technology Council (NSTC; previous named Ministry of Science and Technology [MOST]) in Taiwan","award":["112-2425-H-007-001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["112-2425-H-007-001"]}]},{"name":"National Science and Technology Council (NSTC; previous named Ministry of Science and Technology [MOST]) in Taiwan","award":["109-2410-H-845-032-MY3"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["109-2410-H-845-032-MY3"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Previous investigations have shown a positive relationship between baseball pitching velocity and the kinetic chain involved in pitching motion. However, no study has examined the influence of finger characteristics on pitching velocity and rate of spin via a sensor-embedded baseball. Methods: Twenty-one pitchers volunteered and were recruited for this study. An experimental baseball embedded with a force sensor and an inertial measurement unit was designed for pitching performance measurement. Finger length and strength were measured as dependent variables. Spin rate and velocity were independent variables. Pearson product\u2013moment correlations (r) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) determined the relationship between finger characteristics and pitching performance. Results: Finger length discrepancy, two-point pinch strength, index finger RFD (rate of force development), middle finger impulse, and force discrepancy had significant correlations with spin rate (r = 0.500~0.576, p \u2264 0.05). Finger length discrepancy, two-point pinch, three-point pinch strength, index and middle finger RFD, middle finger impulse, and force combination had significant correlations with fastball pitching velocity (r = 0.491~0.584, p \u2264 0.05). Conclusions: Finger length discrepancy, finger pinch strength, and pitching finger force including maximal force and RFD may be factors that impact fastball spin rate and fastball pitching velocity.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s24113523","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,30]],"date-time":"2024-05-30T06:08:14Z","timestamp":1717049294000},"page":"3523","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Using a Sensor-Embedded Baseball to Identify Finger Characteristics Related to Spin Rate and Pitching Velocity in Pitchers"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"24","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-1751-2834","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ming-Chia","family":"Yeh","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Exercise Science and Athletic Training, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA 16066, USA"},{"name":"Graduate Institute of Sports Equipment Technology, University of Taipei, Taipei 111036, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Wen-Wen","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sports Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404327, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yu-Hsuan","family":"Hung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Institute of Sports Equipment Technology, University of Taipei, Taipei 111036, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ya-Chen","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Office of Physical Education, Chung-Hua University, Hsinchu 300015, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jung-Tang","family":"Kung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sports Training Science\u2014Balls, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan 333325, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Hsi-Pin","family":"Ma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Electrical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300044, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1247-9867","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chiang","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Institute of Sports Equipment Technology, University of Taipei, Taipei 111036, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"128","DOI":"10.1080\/14763141.2016.1159319","article-title":"Differences among Fastball, Curveball, and Change-up Pitching Biomechanics across Various Levels of Baseball","volume":"15","author":"Fleisig","year":"2016","journal-title":"Sports Biomech."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"423","DOI":"10.1177\/0363546505280431","article-title":"Kinetic Comparison among the Fastball, Curveball, Change-up, and Slider in Collegiate Baseball Pitchers","volume":"34","author":"Fleisig","year":"2006","journal-title":"Am. J. Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1371","DOI":"10.1016\/S0021-9290(99)00127-X","article-title":"Kinematic and Kinetic Comparison of Baseball Pitching among Various Levels of Development","volume":"32","author":"Fleisig","year":"1999","journal-title":"J. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1177\/1941738110362656","article-title":"The Kinetic Chain in Overhand Pitching: Its Potential Role for Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention","volume":"2","author":"Seroyer","year":"2010","journal-title":"Sports Health"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.7600\/jpfsm.2.63","article-title":"How Baseball Spin Influences the Performance of a Pitcher","volume":"2","author":"Nagami","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Phys. Fit. Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"314","DOI":"10.1177\/1941738109338546","article-title":"Baseball Pitching Biomechanics in Relation to Injury Risk and Performance","volume":"1","author":"Fortenbaugh","year":"2009","journal-title":"Sports Health"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.1123\/jab.21.1.44","article-title":"Relationship of Biomechanical Factors to Baseball Pitching Velocity: Within Pitcher Variation","volume":"21","author":"Stodden","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Appl. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Leenen, T., Tright, B., Hoozemans, M., and Veeger, D. (2020). Effects of a Disturbed Kinetic Chain in the Fastball Pitch on Elbow Kinetics and Ball Speed. Proceedings, 49.","DOI":"10.3390\/proceedings2020049067"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108","DOI":"10.1177\/0363546504266071","article-title":"Upper and Lower Extremity Muscle Fatigue after a Baseball Pitching Performance","volume":"33","author":"Mullaney","year":"2005","journal-title":"Am. J. Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"902","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0b013e3182606c79","article-title":"Correlation of Throwing Velocity to the Results of Lower-Body Field Tests in Male College Baseball Players","volume":"27","author":"Lehman","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Strength Cond. Res."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1123\/jab.17.1.1","article-title":"Comparison of Kinematic and Temporal Parameters between Different Pitch Velocity Groups","volume":"17","author":"Matsuo","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Appl. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"69","DOI":"10.1109\/TNSRE.2013.2274657","article-title":"Novel Method for Predicting Dexterous Individual Finger Movements by Imaging Muscle Activity Using a Wearable Ultrasonic System","volume":"22","author":"Sikdar","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Neural Syst. Rehabil. Eng."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1016\/j.shaw.2014.09.002","article-title":"Ergonomic Evaluation of Biomechanical Hand Function","volume":"6","author":"Lee","year":"2015","journal-title":"Saf. Health Work"},{"key":"ref_14","first-page":"3297","article-title":"Evaluating the Relation between Dominant and Non-Dominant Hand Perimeters and Handgrip Strength of Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton and Handball Athletes","volume":"11","author":"Kaplan","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Sci. Educ."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"459","DOI":"10.1016\/j.hcl.2013.08.001","article-title":"Skeletal Anatomy of the Hand","volume":"29","author":"Malone","year":"2013","journal-title":"Hand Clin."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Theobalt, C., Albrecht, I., Haber, J., Magnor, M., and Seidel, H.P. (2004, January 8\u201312). Pitching a Baseball\u2014Tracking High-Speed Motion with Multi-Exposure Images. Proceedings of the ACM SIGGRAPH 2004 Papers, SIGGRAPH 2004, Los Angeles, CA, USA.","DOI":"10.1145\/1186562.1015758"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1331","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000003994","article-title":"Relationships between Clinically Measured Upper-Extremity Physical Characteristics and Ball Spin Rate in Professional Baseball Pitchers","volume":"35","author":"Wong","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Strength Cond. Res."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"172","DOI":"10.1016\/j.humov.2017.04.007","article-title":"Finger Forces in Fastball Baseball Pitching","volume":"54","author":"Kinoshita","year":"2017","journal-title":"Hum. Mov. Sci."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"823","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000004330","article-title":"Relationships between Lower Extremity Power and Fastball Spin Rate and Ball Velocity in Professional Baseball Pitchers","volume":"37","author":"Wong","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Strength Cond. Res."},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"Hsieh, T.-H. (2021). A Smart Baseball with Multi-Sensor Configuration Based on IMU Sensors at a High Sampling Rate. [Master\u2019s Thesis, National Tsing Hua University]."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"329","DOI":"10.1007\/s10508-005-3121-y","article-title":"Photocopies Yield Lower Digit Ratios (2D:4D) than Direct Finger Measurements","volume":"34","author":"Manning","year":"2005","journal-title":"Arch. Sex. Behav."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"333","DOI":"10.1016\/S1090-5138(00)00052-0","article-title":"The Ratio of 2nd to 4th Digit Length and Male Homosexuality","volume":"21","author":"Robinson","year":"2000","journal-title":"Evol. Hum. Behav."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"55","article-title":"Intratester Reliability and Validity of the Takei Kiki Kogo Hand Grip Dynamometer","volume":"3","author":"Balogun","year":"1991","journal-title":"J. Phys. Ther. Sci."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"948","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-8749.2010.03697.x","article-title":"Evidence of Validity in a New Method for Measurement of Dexterity in Children and Adolescents","volume":"52","author":"Vollmer","year":"2010","journal-title":"Dev. Med. Child Neurol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"858","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsams.2019.01.012","article-title":"The Influence of Mound Height on Baseball Movement and Pitching Biomechanics","volume":"22","author":"Diffendaffer","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Sci. Med. Sport"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"724","DOI":"10.1080\/24748668.2019.1649344","article-title":"Throwing Speed in Team Handball: A Systematic Review","volume":"19","author":"Vila","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Perform. Anal. Sport"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e25330","DOI":"10.5812\/asjsm.25330","article-title":"Relationship between Grip, Pinch Strengths and Anthropometric Variables, Types of Pitch Throwing among Japanese High School Baseball Pitchers","volume":"6","author":"Tajika","year":"2015","journal-title":"Asian J. Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"53","DOI":"10.2478\/v10078-011-0059-0","article-title":"Associations between Rate of Force Development Metrics and Throwing Velocity in Elite Team Handball Players: A Short Research Report","volume":"29A","author":"Marques","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Hum. Kinet."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"781","DOI":"10.1249\/MSS.0b013e3181be9c7e","article-title":"Neuromuscular Performance of Explosive Power Athletes versus Untrained Individuals","volume":"42","author":"Tillin","year":"2010","journal-title":"Med. Sci. Sports Exerc."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1091","DOI":"10.1007\/s00421-016-3346-6","article-title":"Rate of Force Development: Physiological and Methodological Considerations","volume":"116","author":"Maffiuletti","year":"2016","journal-title":"Eur. J. Appl. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"216","article-title":"Baseball Throwing Speed and Base Running Speed: The Effects of Ballistic Resistance Training","volume":"12","author":"McEvoy","year":"1998","journal-title":"J. Strength Cond. Res."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1123\/mcj.16.1.19","article-title":"Examining Impulse-Variability in Overarm Throwing","volume":"16","author":"Urbin","year":"2012","journal-title":"Mot. Control"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2937","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000002684","article-title":"Strength Determinants of Jump Height in the Jump Throw Movement in Women Handball Players","volume":"34","author":"McGhie","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Strength Cond. Res."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2321","DOI":"10.1249\/MSS.0b013e318220e728","article-title":"Spin on Fastballs Thrown by Elite Baseball Pitchers","volume":"43","author":"Nagami","year":"2011","journal-title":"Med. Sci. Sports Exerc."}],"container-title":["Sensors"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/24\/11\/3523\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T14:50:50Z","timestamp":1760107850000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/24\/11\/3523"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,30]]},"references-count":34,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6]]}},"alternative-id":["s24113523"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/s24113523","relation":{},"ISSN":["1424-8220"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1424-8220","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,30]]}}}